Blood in the Water
by Rassilon001
Summary: The two female Visionaries, the Spectral Dame Galadria, and the Darkling Lady Virulina, are tasked by Merklynn to acquire a magical item for him. One hidden deep in the depths of the Sea of Prysmos. Along the way, they encounter a number of terrible obstacles, as well as deal with the challenge of working together with their most hated of enemies.
1. Kelp Quest

**Disclaimer:  
** I do not own Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light, or any of its associated characters or universe. They belong wholly to Hasbro and Sunbrow.

 **Summary:  
** The two female Visionaries, the Spectral Dame Galadria, and the Darkling Lady Virulina, are tasked by Merklynn to acquire a magical item for him. One hidden deep in the depths of the Sea of Prysmos. Along the way, they encounter a number of terrible obstacles, as well as deal with the challenge of working together once more with their most hated of enemies. Takes place sometime after 'Dawn of the Sun Imps' and the first season of the show. Largely sidesteps the comics. Rated PG-13 for some fantasy action-adventure.

* * *

High atop of Iron Mountain, constantly covered by dark clouds and wracked by thunderstorms of a most unnatural nature, a lone traveler climbed the winding pathway towards the Shrine of Merklynn. A blonde-haired woman of exceptional beauty and quiet grace, with a clear gaze of icy blue and skin virtually untouched by the harsh rays of the sun. She wore the pale violet and blue armor that identified her as a Spectral Knight (properly, a Dame) of the Realm, and on her chest plate she bore the image of a leaping blue dolphin that was her totem animal.

Galadria of Androsia.

Normally she would have made this journey with her fellow knights. Perhaps even with a sign of the Darkling Lords as well, for Merklynn the Wizard paid virtually no interested to the internal squabbles of his so-called 'Visionaries' and used both sides and their magical talents with equal care and consideration. But no, she alone had been summoned by the magical familiar who'd arrived in Androsia. A stop on the way to Iron Mountain in New Valyric confirmed her suspicions with Leoric, she was the only one called by the wizard this day. Gently declining an offer of an escort or a ride, she'd continued up the mountain on foot, trudging her way along the path and into the cave which led to the Shrine.

Well remembering her first time here, Galadria avoided the worst of it, particularly the Kraken's lair, making her way down the central corridor towards the shrine where Merklynn would be waiting for her. She relaxed a little, feeling the magic of the place wash over her like a soothing balm.

Sniff.

Wait a minute, what was that?

Galadria paused, slowly inhaling through her nose, testing the air. There it was again. That pungent, unwholesome aroma that smelled like something much too sweet masking something worse. She recognized the smell.

Thus, it came as no surprise to her when she turned the next corridor and spotted a silhouette half-hidden in the shadows. The form was undeniably feminine, despite the armor they were wearing. Galadria recognized them instantly.

"Virulina," she greeted, her tone somewhat frosty.

The other woman stepped out of the shadows and into the light, letting it illuminate her long dark hair and her beautiful but cruel features. Her armor was of a similar form to Galadria's, a mixture of lost tech and modern smithing, though it was shaded in warm purples and reds. A vicious shark, her totem, was visible on her chest plate in the same place and style as Galadria's, but in a shade of sickly green.

"Galadria," Virulina greeted her rival. "So the old bat called you as well, did he?"

"So it would seem," Galadria said, resting a hand on her hip, very near her sword hilt. She did not yet reach for it, but she needed to assure herself it was still there. She spotted the golden axe that Virulina regularly wielded slung across her back. "Any of your fellow comrades with you?"

"I don't have 'comrades'," Virulina spat. "But no, the other Darkling Lords didn't come. I've been waiting here alone."

"Just us then. I wonder why?" she mused aloud.

Virulina shrugged as the two of them stepped into the shrine, beside the pool of magic. There was no sign of their sorcerous benefactor, the shrine was empty at the moment. The magical energies were strongest here, however, and washed over both Galadria and Virulina as they waited patiently for his arrival. He was usually very prompt about such things.

In the meantime, Galadria continued to ponder the nature of their task, given the players involved.

"Perhaps it's some magical creature that women are immune to or have some influence over?" the blonde dame mused aloud. Ever since the Age of Magic had begun she'd been trying to learn more about the old stories people had dismissed about magic and magical creatures. Unicorns, nymphs, dragons, and more. Charms and incantations and elixirs that could perform any number of miracles. A lot of it seemed fantastical and ridiculous, but there could be kernels of truth found in such things.

"Ha! Fairy tales! More likely the doddering old fool wants us to go for a swim," Virulina said. "Why else call the fish here?"

"Dolphins are mammals," Galadria replied smoothly. "And you shouldn't speak so poorly of Merklynn."

"I speak my mind, unless some prissy little ice princesses I know," the dark-haired woman spat.

Galadria prided herself on her patience, but even she had her limits, and Virulina always seemed to know just what buttons to push to tick her off the most.

"Arrogant sow!"

"Cold fish!"

"Heartless harlot!"

"Witless witch!"

"Go to Hell!" growled Virulina, yanking out her war axe.

"You first!" responded Galadria, reaching for her short sword.

" **ENOUGH.** "

A single word, spoken with power, instantly brought their squabble to an end, as both women turned to regard the wizard Merklynn. The aged sorcerer, having appeared out of thin air, descended the few steps from the top of his shrine down towards the pool in the center of the cavern. With a simple gesture, he beckoned the two of them closer with his free hand, his other still holding the orb of power through which he channeled his magical might. As they approached, both Galadria and Virulina noticed something out of place. Merklynn had always looked, well, rather old... considering he often spoke of the first Age of Magic, almost two thousand years ago, as if he had been there himself, this was not surprising.

But today he seemed positively ancient. His breath came much slower than usual, his shoulders slumped as if carrying a great weight, and his pale hair seemed even more frayed and brittle than normal. There were dark rings around his eyes, evidence suggesting he had not been sleeping well of late.

"Merklynn, are you well? You look ill," Galadria said, moving closer.

"I am fine," the wizard protested, shaking his head at her approach, evidently needing no help. Or not wanting it, at any rate. And his voice remained as strong and clear as ever it seemed. "Or rather, I will be fine once you have completed the task I summoned you for."

"What do you need?"

"I have need of the two of you to fetch for me another item of rare magic," said Merklynn, lifting up his orb in one hand and gesturing at the sacred pool with his other. The shimmering waters lit up with an eldritch glow, and when it faded, an image could be seen in the liquid's surface. Galadria privately compared it to watching a television screen... not that she'd had an opportunity to watch much TV since the Age of Magic had begun.

The images shown were that of an oyster, though to judge by some of the fish flitting past it, it must have been truly huge indeed, easily two feet across. When it opened up, it showed a pearl resting within that was nearly as big as a clenched fist. Green kelp with silver lining surrounded it, waving in the ocean currents, and further out from that was patches of red coral as the view slowly 'zoomed' backwards, showing them a wider and wider view.

"You see before you the Pearl of Nyseis," Merklynn explained. "A naturally formed artifact of great magical power."

"Let me guess... you want us to fetch it for you?" asked Virulina, folding her arms across her chest.

Galadria would've ventured a similar guess. It made sense, and explained why the two of them had been the ones summoned for this particular task. None of their fellow Darkling Lords or Spectral Knights had any aquatic totems, if the pearl was deep under the ocean it might indeed be inaccessible to all but the two of them.

"No," Merklynn replied, shaking his head solemnly. "Not the pearl. It sits on a leyline of magical power. To remove it could cause great catastrophe."

"Leyline?" asked Galadria.

"The heck is that?" added Virulina.

The aged magi sighed, pinching his brow in a vain effort to avert a headache. Children of Science such as these had such difficulty adjusting to the Age of Magic and its ways. But, they were his Visionaries. He would help them see the vision. "Magic in the world is not omnipresent in equal force across this world," he explained. "It exists in currents and eddies, there are places of great magical power vast as the ocean, and others where its influence has dried up and vanished. A leyline is an invisible path of power that intersects such places, allowing the magic to flow from the very heart of Prysmos."

"Like a river," Galadria guessed, following the general premise easily enough.

Evidently she was on the money, for Merklynn nodded sagely. "Quite correct. To remove the pearl from its resting place would be akin to damning the river. The flow of magic would be interrupted, and I cannot permit that."

"So why show us the bauble if you don't want it?" Virulina asked, greatly irritated.

"It is not the _pearl_ which I desire," the wizard replied, annoyed at the interruption. "But its magic will prove useful all the same. You may note the kelp that grows beside it?"

Again he gestured at the magical pool, and again the image closed in on the great oyster and pearl, as well as the strands of seaweed. In the shimmering light, the silver lining of the kelp strands seemed to almost glow as the two women leaned in closer for a better look.

"This kelp is infused with the power of the pearl," Merklynn explained. "As a result, it too bears great magical power. Bring some of it to me, and do so with haste. I fear no more than a pair of days may be spared for this task. I must have it immediately."

"We shall do this for you," Galadria said, stepping forward and bowing before the sorcerer. "Where is the pearl to be found?"

"It is found in a place known as Red Coral Reef," replied Merklynn, gesturing one final time to the pool of water. The image flowed outwards until the view was situated above the surface of the ocean's waves, and they could see the coastline. Galadria recognized Dagger Point, on the edge of the neutral territory between New Valyric and Darkstorm's rising empire.

"A word of caution," added the wizard, raising a long-clawed finger for emphasis. "The reef is made of fire coral, which is instantly recognizable by its reddish hue. Do not allow it to touch your skin, or it will burn you most horribly. There are other dangers, but I trust the two of you are more than capable enough to defeat them."

* * *

His task given, Galadria and Virulina departed the wizard's shrine, sharing a glance as they slipped through the narrow archway and back onto the path of Iron Mountain. Lightning flashed in the skies above, the perpetual storm that always seemed to surround the peak since the Age of Magic had begun. It reflected the mood shared between the two Visionaries.

It was no secret to anyone who knew either woman that they detested each other as much as any two people could. They'd been rivals ever since the Age of Magic had begun, their conflicting loyalties and interests more than once bringing them to blows. Even before they'd become formally affiliated with the Darkling Lords and the Spectral Knights. But as it was, they were the only ones whom could assist the other in an underwater venture. So they had to learn to tolerate each other for the sake of Merklynn's task.

 _Tolerate_ , Galadria mused, watching Virulina depart. But that didn't mean she trusted the Darkling Lady by any stretch of the imagination.

This was going to be a very difficult task.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:  
** Please review if you enjoy.

Visionaries is something of a guilty pleasure for me. Yes it was a horribly camp, terrible show driven towards merchandising that couldn't hold a candle to more modern animations. Except for maybe that opening. Yet I've always felt it had a lot of good ideas, and that with a little polishing it could be remade into something better in the twenty-first century the same way a lot of 80s cartoons (Thundercats, He-Man, Transformers, and many others) made the transition.

In particular, it always saddened me we got to see so little of the females given their aquatic animals and the shocking lack of water on Prysmos (at least in the locations they often visited). This story was originally conceived as a means of rectifying this horrible error and giving them a chance to shine.

Full credit for the Cover Art goes to Inspector97, who shares a love of all things 80s and whose deviantart account bursting full of beautiful things to see.


	2. Reef Rivalry

Galadria and Virulina made their own ways to the coastline where Dagger Point was to be found, taking a wide route around Iron Mountain to avoid one another's unpleasant company and stop by their respective factions with the news of their task. Or at least, Galadria did. She made a point to fill in Leoric about her situation, and he allowed Feryl and the Capture Chariot to drive her to Dagger Point. It saved time, and she was grateful, because she was positive she was going to need all her strength for the mission ahead.

Waving farewell as Feryl and his vehicle departed, Galadria took a moment to divest her armor and hide it somewhere secure before Virulina could arrive. Though the Age of Science was over and modern technology was of a limited and primitive sort, with the re-awakening of magic and countless possibilities associated with it, civilization was again striving for improvement in their everyday lives. In her own case, Galadria had been working closely with textile workers to create a new sort of swim garment. Since her totem was associated with water, it behooved her to be well situated in it whether she was in her dolphin form or her human one.

The end result was a black suit of a material that was like spandex, yet dissimilar. Primarily black in color, it bore light and dark blue patches that would allow her to be easily seen and identified by others while swimming, whilst not unduly frightening away animals with her coloration. It sheathed her body from neck down to her thighs, a little snug around her bosom and the curve of her hips, she made a mental note to request it be loosened a little. An added strap on her right leg gave her somewhere to hook her sword, though she hoped she would not need it. And a pouch rested against her back for carrying the kelp back.

By the time she'd done changing Virulina had arrived. She had somehow managed to secure transportation from Mortredd and the Sky Claw, though it didn't seem they were parting on the best of terms, to judge by the crude words they exchanged before Virulina hopped out onto the coastline. Mortredd left in quite a huff as Galadria made her way closer, blonde eyebrow raised at what she saw.

Virulina was wearing an almost identical wetsuit, though hers was lined with dark purple stripes instead of a light blue, and extended all the way down her legs to her ankles. Her bronze axe was strapped to her back on a thin strap. Galadria frowned, positive the Darkling Lady hadn't paid for its creation the way she had. More likely, the design had been copied or stolen. But she wasn't interested in starting a fight so soon over something so petty, and so the two women simply shared a guarded nod before venturing into the water.

Virulina waded in as if daring the water to stand in her way, smashing right through it. Galadria climbed atop of a nearby rock outcropping, raised up her hands, and dove into the water hands first, slicing through it with the ease of a fish.

Once fully submerged, both began to kick their legs and descend deeper, following the directions they'd been given by Merklynn. While both could hold their breath for an impressive period of time, it did not take long for their lungs to start to burn from lack of oxygen. Thus, transformation into their totems was necessary.

Galadria morphed into a dolphin of blue light, while Virulina manifested as a green shark.

Transformations complete, the two continued downwards, resisting their natural instinct to fight each other, made doubly strong by their new forms. But they had a task to complete and they had better odds doing it together, so they dove downwards, Galadria's tail slapping downwards while Virulina's swung sideways.

* * *

It was absolutely breath-taking underneath the surface. The deeper down they dove, the more the wonders of the ocean opened up for the two of them. Galadria could see with perfect clarity for miles in every direction, as if she stood upon the surface, and imagined that this was more of Merklynn's magic inherent in their animal forms. And what she saw was beyond compare.

Schools of brightly colored fish flitted past the two Visionaries, as well as the odd jellyfish floating lazily on the currents of the water. Some big, some small, some with tentacles almost two meters long, some with bright flashing colors and others almost invisible against the backdrop of the ocean. A gray whale with a mottled hide almost as big as the Sky Claw went floating past underneath the two of them. It seemed like a peaceful creature but they none-the-less gave it a wide berth. Galadria spotted the occasional shark, but unlike Virulina these were not malicious monsters, just hungry predators. They seemed, however, to have no appetite at the moment, for they largely ignored the magical animals in their company.

Species they'd never heard of, creatures they'd never dreamed of. They and countless more drifted past through the ocean waters as the two of them steadily dove deeper to follow the sloping curve of the ocean floor. Underwater flora was also coming into view. Though they did not find any fire coral, they passed by reefs of brown and green kelp and discovered a bed of floating flowers a little further down.

It was utterly beautiful. Galadria resolved to return here more often in the future, perhaps even start a catalogue of the various species. She was positive not all of them had been present during the Age of Science, so in a way it was a whole new world to be found down here. The Seas of Prysmos.

A tail smacked against her side, and Galadria glanced up sharply in alarm, only to find Virulina glaring at her. At least, she assumed such was the case, given her shark form looked perpetually angry. She appeared to be waiting for something. A response maybe. But the two of them could not communicate under the ocean like this. At least, not very well.

Greatly hoping Virulina did not attack when she was vulnerable, Galadria decided to make the first move so they could continue on. Holding her breath, she allowed herself to resume her natural form, the long-legged and blonde Spectral Dame. She pointed between the two of them, then down in two separate ways, using her fingers to more artfully articulate herself. The green shark nodded, and Galadria resumed her blue dolphin form as they dove downwards. They would split up and search for Red Coral Reef separately, then find one another before venturing in for the pearl.

At least, Galadria would. She wouldn't put it past Virulina to simply go on without her.

Redoubling her efforts, the blue dolphin dove lower, into the darker waters as the light of the three suns grew dimmer and dimmer far above at the surface of the ocean. Here there were more exotic creatures to be found, drifting jellyfish of bright gold, and even spotting a mighty hump-backed whale rising out of the depths, drifting past Galadria as she watched in undisguised awe at its majestic beauty.

Catching sight of some sort of rock formation further down, Galadria swam closer, curious to know what it was. She was fairly sure it wasn't fire coral, it was a glossy black in color, but none the less, it may provide a clue.

It did, but not quite the clue she was looking for.

* * *

For when Galadria approached the structure, it moved.

Jerking back in astonishment, the blue dolphin watched as the glossy black structure shifted and slithered like a great long tentacle. Only belatedly did she realize that the front and back ends were the head and tail, respectively. Fins previously tucked tight at its side unfurled to reveal themselves, allowing the creature to slither through the water with frightening speed. And it was already the size of a building, making it doubly frightening as it reared back to regard her. Its face was particularly gruesome, all mottled and disfigured like a clay sculpture left too close to a fire, half-melted and twisted. Its maw was full of mismatched but none the less sharp teeth as it bore down on Galadria with intent to use them.

She rolled out of the way, resuming her humanoid form and drawing her short sword. She couldn't possibly hope to outrun something so fast, so her only option was to fight. She jabbed her blade into the beast's hide, but it was like striking granite, she didn't leave a single mark.

All she'd managed to accomplish was making herself more vulnerable as the dragon's tail snapped out and curled around her chest and torso, pinning her arms at her sides and leaving her vulnerable as it pulled her towards its waiting maw, giving a throaty roar as it prepared to devour her whole.

Galadria thrashed and kicked her tail, slapping at the monster's face, but it did little to dissuade it from its intent to make a meal of her. She was about to make peace with her existence when something bright green shot out of the darkness to her aid. It was Virulina. There could be no two such sharks anywhere in all of Prysmos.

The Darkling Lady swam low, ducking under the sea dragon's winding coils and opening its toothy maw, taking an enormous bite out of its tail, near where it held Galadria. Unlike before, this attack seemed to penetrate its hide. Perhaps Virulina's jaw was stronger than it appeared. Or perhaps the magic of her totemic form allowed her to do more damage. Either way, the sea dragon gave a mighty roar, thrashing. Its tail released Galadria, who wasted no time in swimming to safety, and Virulina followed suit. The dragon, evidently used to less dangerous meals, slithered back into the darkness of the ocean depths to await easier prey.

Dolphin and shark sped towards the surface, as both Visionaries felt their magical power begin to wane and their aquatic forms begin to weaken. They lost their animal forms seconds before the two of them burst onto the surface, gasping for air. Galadria sucked it greedily into her burning lungs, floating on her back as she tried to calm her racing heart. After a few moments, she finally managed to relax her breathing down to a more manageable pace, and lifted her head. Virulina had evidently been doing much the same thing, though she looked a little less worse for wear from the whole experience. Indeed, to judge by her expression, she was regretting getting involved in the first place.

"Thank you, Virulina," Galadria said, feeling the words foul on her tongue as she spoke them. "But... why didn't you just leave me to die?"

"Well, I guess I might still need you around," Virulina declared. "Never know what else is down there."

She spoke the words in disgust, eyeing the ocean beneath her with contempt. Galadria felt pity for her, unable to appreciate the beauty and seeing only the dangers of the watery depths. Still, she had something of a point. They needed to stick together. There was much danger below the surface. And doubtlessly there would be more challenges ahead before they'd retrieved the kelp for Merklynn and could return home.

* * *

With the sea dragon encounter behind them, Virulina and Galadria continued their search. Mindful of the dangers of touching fire coral, even in their totemic forms, the two ladies searched cautiously the outermost layer of the reef. The pearl and kelp they sought would have been instantly identifiable, yet there was no sign of it along the outer edges of Red Coral Reef.

Forcing them to explore more closely.

The interlocking clusters of red coral acted almost like a maze as they swam more slowly amidst them, ducking, dodging, bobbing and weaving along the currents of the ocean, moving deeper within the reef. Various fish continued to flit past their view as Galadria and Virulina reached the very heart of the reef. The coral was thin here, coming to an abrupt stop in a circular sphere surrounding an underwater rise. Atop of which rested the oyster they'd seen in Merklynn's pool. There could be no other like it. Green kelp with silver lining floated in the water beside it, the object of their quest.

Suddenly, Virulina could not breathe.

Her green body shuddered as she thrashed in the water, seeking air, but miles away from the surface. Galadria, unable to understand her sudden pain, swam closer to try and aid her. Abruptly, the green shark burst apart in a flash of light, and in its place was Virulina, floating in the water. Unable to stop herself, she took in a deep lungful of water, fully expecting to drown...!

... and could not have been more surprised when she didn't.

Breathing slowly, heavily, Virulina floated down onto her knees on the bottom of the ocean floor, feeling the water enter and leave her lungs no differently than air did on the surface.

"What is this...?" she said, bubbles drifting from her mouth as they floated to the surface. "Some horrible new magic?"

A flash of light, and the blue dolphin at her side was Galadria's blonde natural form. She fought against the natural instinct to breath in the water as well, but her discipline was strong, and ultimately she managed to do so anyway, collapsing on her knees moments afterwards. But she too found she could breathe the water just as easily as the air, albeit it felt much... heavier somehow.

"The magic of the pearl," Galadria guessed. "It makes the water here like air."

Looking all around, they saw not a single fish approaching the empty space between the coral reef. "That must be why no fish come near."

Galadria drifted closer to the open oyster, examining the Pearl of Nyseis within. It was larger than any gemstone she'd ever seen, and seemed to shine with a luster that made it positively gleam in the dim light. Even an untrained magical knight like herself could feel the mystical energy surrounding it. But, tempting at I might have been to take, she recalled well enough the warnings of the wizard Merklynn. His instructions had been quite specific. Plus, it felt wrong somehow to defile the natural beauty of the area simply out of personal greed. Galadria kept to the task at hand, drawing her sword and running her fingers along the magical kelp growing beside the oyster. A few deft cuts and she had gathered more than enough, stuffing it into the pack at her side.

She was just sheathing her sword at her side when she spotted a flash of purple and black moving in on the open oyster and the Pearl of Nyseis.

"Virulina, what are you doing?" she demanded.

"Claiming my prize," Virulina retorted. Then, with a deft motion, snatched up the pearl. It fell into her greedily little hands in mere moments as she grinned like a shark.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:  
** Avoided using specific animals in the story because Prysmos is an alien world to begin with, and I like to think the Age of Magic ramped that up to eleven, so I've included a lot of odd creatures to emphasize that fact.


	3. Coral Clash

The oysters mouth gave a great groan, like a mighty beast denied its meal, and slowly began to drift closed. If Galadria was expecting some greater display of trouble, a shuddering of the earth, a crashing of the waves, thunder far overhead, she was sadly disappointed. Virulina, however, seemed to shine with the same luster as the pearl, as if its magical power was somehow enhancing her own magical abilities.

Even so...

"Merklynn forbade us moving the pearl! You know how important it is!" she said, snatching up her sword. It moved clumsily through the water, but it was a piercing weapon, it would provide minimal resistance with a simple thrust. In that respect it would serve better than Virulina's axe at least, which would have to deal with water resistance more fully as a slashing tool.

Perhaps knowing this, Virulina drifted backwards through the water, keeping her bronze weapon up defensively. "Darkstorm offered me a fortune if I got this too him," the dark-haired lady replied. "And if he can't meet my price, well, I can always find someone else who can."

"You selfish stupid witch!" Galadria snapped. "How can you only think about yourself?!"

"It's what keeps me alive!" growled Virulina. "Not everyone was lucky enough to be protected by their own stupid kingdom when all the power went out! Some of us had to _fight_ to survive!"

Galadria's crystal blue eyes narrowed dangerously as she tentatively swam forward, keeping close to the ocean floor so she had something to push off of when the time came. She knew a fight was inevitable at this point, but she had to try and talk down the Darkling Lady anyway. Or at least threatening to acquiesce. Galadria held the clear advantage her with her totem still an option and her weapon better designed for aquatic combat.

"Virulina... don't make me hurt you!" she warned.

The dark-haired lady laughed, bubbles erupting from her lips to float upwards. "You? Hurt me?! HA!"

Thrusting her axe through the water in an awkward attack, Virulina forced Galadria back, then kicked her legs for all they were worth, swimming for the exit from the reef that they'd entered through. Galadria was right on her tail, kicking off the ocean floor and knifing through the water sword first to aid in her speed.

Sensing her close behind, Virulina turned as she entered the exit tunnel. Lashing out with her axe, Virulina severed a cluster of fire coral, letting them float down between the two of them as Galadria quickly backtracked to avoid the poisonous structure. It formed a natural barrier between them as the dark-haired lady turned and kicked her feet, swimming away. Seconds later, her form shimmered and vanished in a glow of purplish energy, replaced by a violet shark which more swiftly slid through the water and out of view. The new color gave Galadria momentary pause, evidently it was a sign of the pearl's magic. But that wasn't important right now.

Virulina was getting away with the Pearl of Nyseis. And Galadria could do nothing to stop her.

* * *

Determined not to let the treacherous Virulina escape unpunished, Galadria used her short sword to push the fire coral out of her path. It was difficult, awkward work, coupled by the complication of the water's weight and the fact that she had only one item with which to manipulate it, but she dare not let any of her uncovered skin touch the stuff. Finally, a path was clear, and she wasted no time in bolting for it and assuming her totemic form immediately.

A bright blue dolphin shot out of the reef like a torpedo, instantly searching the surrounding waters for Virulina's distinctive purple shark form. There was no immediate sign of her in the vicinity, but if Galadria was a betting woman she'd imagine Virulina was making a straight line back towards Dagger Point. She took off swimming as fast as she could in the same direction, smashing right through a school of fish in her way and scattering them in all directions as she flapped her tail fin as fast as she could.

She had to catch up to Virulina before she reached the shore. If she got back on land, there was no possibly way Galadria could fight her all by herself. Worse, knowing Virulina, the rest of the Darkling Lords could easily be there. Ready to defend her and her prize.

 _I can't let that happen_ , Galadria thought. _Faster! Must go faster_!

Her blue dolphin form was a blur as she sped through the water like a guided torpedo.

* * *

At first it seemed hopeless, and Galadria even worried for a moment she might have mistaken Virulina's intent. If she was bound for another destination the Spectral Dame would never catch her, and she'd have to return to Merklynn alone with terrible news.

But just as she was about to give up hope, she caught a splash of purple up ahead amidst the dark waters. Speeding towards it, Galadria was pleased to discover it was indeed the familiar shape of a finned predator she knew all too well. And with Virulina trying to swim away from her, she had no way of knowing that Galadria was closing the distance between them. Forward facing eyes on predatory species, like the shark, did not allow for great peripheral vision like those enjoyed by the dolphin.

Galadria closed the distance, saving a bit of her strength for her opening attack. When she was close enough she dove a level under Virulina and came speeding up, slamming her snout into the soft underbelly of her shark opponent. Such was the force of the blow that it knocked Virulina back through the water, forcing her to revert to her humanoid form as the magic waned within her.

Exhausted, the blonde warrior also assumed her humanoid form, unable to maintain her dolphin shape any longer. She needed a moment to recover before attempting it again. None the less, she drew her sword and prepared to fight.

Grimacing in pain, Virulina none the less quickly reached for her axe, swinging it awkwardly through the water in an effort to lop Galadria's pretty blonde head clean off her shoulders. The orb was kept tucked under her free arm.

Galadria ducked and thrust hard with her short sword. Not a lethal blow, but one designed to end this conflict quickly. A jab through her legs or feet would cripple the dark-haired witch with pain. Virulina, however, saw her attack coming, and countered the blonde with her axe, twisting it through the water and knocking the short sword out of her grip, letting it drift downwards towards the ocean's floor.

Determined not to be the only one disarmed, Galadria lashed out with a kick, striking Virulina's wrist and causing her to drop her own weapon, though she clung all the more tightly to her prize now with both arms. A wave of light engulfed her as she again assumed the form of the shark, snapping a mighty maw of teeth at Galadria, who barely managed to avoid such. She struck Virulina's vulnerable purple belly then twisted and rolled, assuming her own aquatic form. A blue dolphin angled away then came speeding back for another pass as Virulina again attempted to make a run for it.

Under the water, in humanoid form, their speed was more or less even, both having equal experience and training in swimming. But when it came to their totemic forms, the dolphin was a fin faster than the shark, and Galadria again slammed her snout into the sickly violet predator's vulnerable belly, knocking her off-course and forcing her to revert to her humanoid form again.

Growling, bubbles slipping from her lips, Virulina lashed out with a fist, smacking it upside the blue dolphin's head and reverting it to its own natural state. Without warning she dove, kicking her legs hard. Tossing the pearl aside at the last moment, she wrapped her hands tightly around Galadria's pale throat, intent to choke the life out of her. Instinctively, the Spectral Dame tried to grab the hands and pry them off, but Virulina was every bit as strong as she was and had momentum on her side. Her grip was like iron. Switching tactics, Galadria rolled backwards, using the water's momentum to throw Virulina forward and lashing out with a knee to her gut, sending her tumbling through the water. She managed to recover the pearl before Galadria could reclaim it.

They seemed evenly matched, as they reverted to their animal forms once again and circled each other, looking for an opening or a weakness. Neither could overpower the other in either of their forms, and they had almost equal experience fighting in a three dimensional environment such as the sea. They'd lost their weapons, and there was no way anyone or anything could aid either of them now. This would be a battle determined by who wanted to win more.

And in the end, that proved to be Galadria.

Once more too weak to hold onto their animal forms, Galadria ducked under an underwater punch that was meant to break her jaw, swimming downwards and grabbing Virulina's ankle to tug her the same direction. Virulina kicked, but Galadria had already let go of her leg and swam upwards, jabbing her in the stomach and forcing Virulina to tuck into a tight ball. However, she under-estimated how quickly she'd recover, and Virulina kicked out with both legs, striking Galadria in the shoulders and sending her flying backwards through the water.

 _I have to finish this soon_ , Galadria thought. Between their exertions both physical and magical, they were both going to run out of air soon. The blonde dame reared back her arm and collected all her strength for her next strike, intending it to be her last. Even so, she waited for a chance to use it, maintaining her discipline and calm. Virulina, but contrast, had gone axe crazy without her axe, lashing out with all of her limbs in quick strikes that did not come near hurting Galadria, though a few bounced off her shoulders awkwardly thanks to the water resistance.

Virulina jabbed hard at Galadria's pretty face, intent to break her nose. Ducking under her enemies clumsy strike, Galadria swung her fist up and smashed it into the Darkling Lady's delicate jaw, feeling a satisfying crack as her head snapped back. Virulina tumbled end-over-end through the water, having been knocked unconscious, until she drifted down towards the ocean floor, bubbles trickling from her mouth towards the surface.

Rubbing her knuckles, Galadria swam down to reclaim the pearl... pausing only briefly when she saw Virulina settle in the muck nearby. She'd drown if she didn't regain consciousness soon and assuming her shark form. Galadria tried to slap her awake, but it seems she couldn't quite bring her around. Perhaps her magical power was all but spent. In which case she was going to die. And it would be the Spectral Dame's fault if she perished. The blood would be on _her_ hands.

 _I will live to regret this_ , Galadria mused, mind already made up.

* * *

In the end, she did the honorable thing and dragged Virulina with her back to the reef, helping her into the clearing where water was like air with seconds to spare. Pressing two fingers to her throat, Galadria found a pulse, and was relieved when the Darkling Lady began to breathe more easily. Being unconscious definitely seemed to help ease the transition from water to air.

Leaving her to rest unconscious on the bottom of the reef, Galadria swiftly returned the Pearl of Nyseis to its resting place within the great oyster. It gave another low groan and began to open up again, and she breathed a watery sigh of relief. It seemed no permanent damage had been done, though they would have to await final word from Merklynn on that score. What little of magic Galadria knew wouldn't fill a mouse's teacup.

That task done, Galadria scooped up Virulina, took as deep a breath as she could manage, and swam them out of the reef, heading for the surface the instant they left the maze of fire coral. Her legs kicked and kicked as she pushed them as fast and hard as she could towards the surface, managing to make it seconds before her lungs began to burn once more.

What I wouldn't give for a modern air tank, she mused as she sucked in another lungful of air. Still, she had it easier than Virulina as she too surfaced. This proved to be the last jolt to her system that the dark-haired Visionary needed to return to consciousness. It was not a gentle awakening.

She spluttered, coughing heavily, water surging out of her lungs as she exhaled the last of it to clear her airway. For a moment Galadria just watched her, hoping she wouldn't drown, but sensing any attempt to help her would only be met with contempt.

Cough. "Why...?" Cough. "Why didn't you leave me to die?" demanded Virulina, looking like nothing so much as a waterlogged rat. She brushed some wet locks of hair out of her eyes, tucking them behind her ear.

Galadria sighed wearily. She'd half been expecting a thanks, but she should have known better than to expect something like that from Virulina. She was utterly impossible. She was backstabbing, treacherous, unscrupulous and two-faced as a chimaera.

So why had she been saved again?

"Well..." Galadria replied slowly. "... I guess I might still need you someday."

Still trying to clear her airways, Virulina managed a weak chuckle at that, finding the words darkly ironic with the situation reversed. But it was true, she supposed. They'd both saved each other once, so that put them at about even for now. It was all so ridiculous she couldn't help but laugh. Galadria tried to hide her own mirth behind her hand, but the look on her face told Virulina plain as day she was laughing too. In seconds, both of them were giving full blown guffaws that made their bellies hurt and their lungs burn from lack of air.

Life was utterly full of irony, and Galadria couldn't help but appreciate it here, even as she felt her whole body ache from her exertions. Thankful all her wounds had healed, owing to the magic of her totem, but she felt utterly exhausted. And the two of them still had to bring the kelp they'd collected back to Iron Mountain and Merklynn's shrine, and with little time left to spare.

Galadria sank back into the water until her blonde hair floated in it, and blew out a stream of bubbles in frustration.

This was going to be a long day.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:  
** By now it's become obvious that in the real world one or both of the girls would have drowned by now, magic or no. But this is a cartoon made in the 80s, and subject to the same lazy observance of real world physics and mechanics. Plus, as TV Tropes would say, A Wizard Did It. They can stay under water as long as I damn well want them to. So there.

When the cover artwork that inspired the story was commissioned, Galadria's shark form was made purple by accident. The effect was incorporated into the story as a side effect of the pearl. 80's animation was rife with the same sort of thing all the time.


	4. Aquatic Award

Swimming on the surface of the ocean was even more labor intensive than beneath it, with the wind and the waves determined to keep them from the shore up until the last mile or so. But both the Darkling Lady and the Spectral Dame were exhausted from both the search and their battle, and could not easily assume their aquatic forms.

Finally, however, Galadria and Virulina washed ashore only a few dozen yards from Dagger Point. Double checking her pouch, Galadria was pleased to see the kelp had survived their excursion. She hated to think what would have been the outcome if they'd returned to Iron Mountain empty handed. Merklynn was under most circumstances a kindly beneficiary but his wrath was still terrible to behold. As it was, the two of them crawled up onto the shore with their prize intact. Galadria retrieved her armor, using the towel she's hidden with it to dry off, fluffing her blonde locks while Virulina sat there and dripped dry much more slowly and uncomfortably.

Just karma, as far as the Spectral Dame was concerned. But even so, when she was done with her towel she tossed it to the Darkling Lady, letting her drape it around her shoulders as the two of them began their long hike to Iron Mountain. Without a means to communicate to their respective factions, they had no choice but to do things the old fashioned way.

They walked.

Galadria sighed, wishing someone would discover some magical means of communication. With all the war and death going on in the world, it would be nice if you could simply call someone and talk to them from afar like you could in the old days. Right now she'd give anything to communicate with her homeland. Or at least summon Feryl and the Capture Chariot. A ride would be so welcome after the difficult quest they'd just endured, but they had no choice but to walk for now.

* * *

The return to Iron Mountain was not an easy one. A cold wind had picked up as they travelled, and given they were soaked to the bone did nothing to improve either their mood or their health. Armor did nothing to stave off the elements, and the wetsuits underneath were equally useless keeping them warm above the water. By the time they'd reached the mountain top where the Shrine of Magic was located, they were both shivering and miserable. Thankfully once inside the mountain itself the temperature was warmer and the winds abated, allowing Galadria and Virulina to venture towards the shrine itself in relative comfort. Still, both were anxious to return to their respective homes for a hot bath and a warm meal, the order of which did not particularly matter to either of them at the moment.

Unlike before, Merklynn was waiting for them in the shrine, before the pool where he often met them. He looked no worse than before, but neither did he look any better. He still seemed to struggle with each breath, and the occasional cough wracked his thin frame. But his eyes were clear as ever as he beheld their entrance.

"Ah, at last... you have returned. Did you complete the task I set you with?" he inquired.

Galadria dipped her head politely. "We have, Merklynn," she said, pulling the pouch from her side and opening it up, drawing forth a long length of greenish-silver kelp to show him.

"Ah, most excellent," he said, making his way to their side. Galadria slipped the kelp back into its container and handed it wholesale to the ancient wizard, who set it at his side.

"Merklynn... we feel we should warn you that..." Galadria paused, glancing over at Virulina. She crossed her arms and turned her head away, huffing in annoyance. She might've known this would come up. "The Pearl of Nyseis was dislodged from its resting place briefly during our task. It has been returned to where it was meant to be but we wished to make sure the leylines you spoke of have been unaffected."

Virulina glanced at her with a raised eyebrow, trying to keep her features from betraying her surprise and failing miserably. Galadria was protecting her? After what she'd tried to do? It made no sense.

"I will see," Merklynn replied, rubbing a hand over his crystal ball and gazing into its depths. A moment later, he nodded sagely. "All is as it should be. The flow of magic continues unabated and unchanged. No damage has been done."

"Well that's a relief," Virulina grumbled, no doubt thinking she still could've made off with the pearl.

"You have done well," the aged wizard proclaimed solemnly. "Endured difficult odds and great peril to complete this task for me. For your assistance, I will willingly grant one small favor to each of you. Simply name it. There is little beyond my power."

That was quite an offer, and for a moment even Galadria was tempted by the possibilities the ancient wizard presented. Magical rides of their own, if not vehicles then perhaps horses, or some mystical exotic beast. Knowledge about the secrets of Prysmos, the sort that had been lost or buried in the ensuing loss of science and electricity. A means of keeping warm would be most welcome in her kingdom. While Androsia was not quite as frozen as Northelia, her people were still using fires and thick furs to stave off the cold during the harsh winter times. This could be an answer to that. Perhaps they could even ask to receive their own power staffs, to put them on even standing with their fellow Visionaries.

But Galadria quickly recoiled from the possibilities instead of embracing them, thinking just as easily of the potential for consequences as rewards. Magic always seemed to come at a price. Often times, a most terrible price.

"As tempting an offer as that might be... I think I'll have to decline," Galadria said politely.

"Forget that!" Virulina barked. "I am not walking away from this completely empty-handed. At the very least I deserve some payment for what I went through."

"I offer you great magical power and you would be satisfied with... mere coin?" demanded Merklynn, his thick brows furrowed in disbelief.

"Darn right!" she snapped darkly.

Merklynn sighed, feeling his head throb at the simple, greedy nature of the Darkling Lady. To say nothing of exasperation with the Spectral Dame who was likewise refusing his power simply because she didn't understand it. He knew they could be so much more than this, but it seemed they were not yet ready for what lay ahead. For now, he had to remain in the good graces of his Visionaries, so a reward was due. If money was what they wanted, money is what they would receive.

"Very well then," Merklynn said. "One bag of silver... one bag of gold..."

The red-robed wizard lifted up his orb of power and flicked his hand forward, middle and forefinger extended. Two beams of energy lanced from his sharp nails, impacting the floor in front of the Visionaries. When the light had faded, a pair of ordinary sacks rested in front of them, half-open and spilling out their contents for both to see.

Coins of silver and gold, the current currency found on most of Prysmos.

"Take whichever pleases you more," Merklynn said, making no attempt to hide the disappointment in his tone.

Virulina snapped up the gold bag before Galadria could offer a protest, then grinned at her as if daring her to do so. For her part, the blonde Spectral Dame accepted the bag of silver with as much grace as she could under the circumstances. She refused to rise to the bait Virulina was providing. It was what she probably would have requested in any case. Gold, while more valued as a currency, was a soft and malleable metal that's only use seemed to be as decoration and economics. By contrast, cold hard silver could yet have practical uses for her people and the people of the realm.

"Your task is complete, and you may go now," said Merklynn, turning his back to the two of them as he shuffled slowly towards his inner sanctum.

Seeing they'd been dismissed, Virulina shouldered her bag of gold and stomped out of the shrine. Galadria lingered only a moment longer to make sure the wizard Merklynn was going to be alright, for his health did not seem improved. But it seemed he needed no help, or desired none in any case, and she reluctantly shouldered her own bag of silver and followed after her female contemporary.

* * *

Once both of the female Visionaries had departed, Merklynn departed the shrine and down a level to his laboratory, where some magical ingredients had already been paid out. Water from his pool, heated to boiling. The flesh of a cockatrice, deprived of its scales and feathers. Herbs and spices from all across Prysmos, properly ground into a fine dust. And now the kelp of Nyseis, infused with the orb's wisdom. This he ground into a paste before mixing it and the other ingredients in a small bowl. Not too dissimilar to how he might brew a magical potion, though this was a somewhat more mundane creation.

Finished, Merklynn let the bowl and its contents cool as he produced a spoon and settled in front of the fireplace, leaning back in his comfortable chair.

"At long last," he breathed, stirring the contents of his bowl with his spoon. Then, satisfied it was sufficiently cooled, it gathered a tiny bit of it in his utensil and brought it to his lips.

It was not quite chicken soup, yet Merklynn thought it held a remarkable similarity to the remedy of that bygone Age of Science. Or at least an equivalent for his magical ailment.

There still was no cure, by science or by magic, for the common cold. Yet this brew would stave off the worst of its effects. Enough that he could sleep at least. Between that and rest, Merklynn would be back to his full strength within a fortnight or so. At least he hoped as much. There was still much to do. The Age of Magic had come again, and the people of Prysmos were still woefully under-prepared to handle it. He needed to make them ready. The Visionaries were his tools to do so, but they needed to be properly utilized in order for the entire world to see the truth of things.

For they still had no idea what was yet to come.

* * *

With their money in hand and their task completed, neither one of the lady Visionaries had any desire to spend any more time in the other's company. They'd already had more than enough of that to last them a lifetime, if not more. They barely shared a single word between them as they descended down the hillside path. Hell, they barely looked at one another. When their paths finally parted, Virulina gave a snort, throwing up her nose as she headed in the direction of Darkstorm's fortress. No doubt after failing to recover the pearl, she was in for a cool reception. The gold she'd obtained may mitigate that somewhat, but Darkstorm's temper could be hard to predict.

That left Galadria to roll her eyes and continued onwards to New Valyric. Though she longed to return to Androsia and relax amidst the soothing mountain climates of her home, Leoric could use an update on the situation, as well as a small share of the silver she'd come by.

Walking down the path with no great hurry, the blonde Spectral Knight slowed her pace still further to cast a glance over her shoulder. Partly to ensure Virulina wasn't following her, but deeper down she recognized she was still concerned for the other warrior, who'd been through a great deal today. But still she soldiered on without a complaint and with absolutely no desire to be helped. Whatever else had been damaged, her body, her totem, her ego... her pride remained as strong as ever.

Galadria paused, adjusting the bag of silver resting on her shoulder. It wasn't really heavy, though the weight was awkward of course. She could only imagine how well Virulina was managing with her own prize. In a way though, Galadria felt she'd gained something more than just coin out of this venture.

She'd gained an understanding of Virulina.

It was brief, their connection under the water, but more than just the shared totemic powers they had, the link to the aquatic world, they had something in common. They'd both suffered when the Age of Science had come to an end, not simply because they were depending on science like so many had been. But because as time had gone on and mankind had fallen back into a more primitive and brutal mindset, women such as they had suffered at their hands. Virulina perhaps more fully than Galadria, whom indeed had been fortunate to find caretakers and protectors in the land of Androsia.

But she'd still had to fight.

They'd been every bit as chauvinistic and pig-headed as every other man she'd known in the new age. She'd fought tooth and nail to earn the respect as a fellow on equal standing with any of them. Fighting every bit as hard and every bit as tough as the likes of Cryotech or knights like him just to be recognized as one of them. It had never occurred to her Virulina had needed to fight just as hard, if not harder still, just to survive amongst the less honorable scum of the disputed territories.

The problem with Virulina was she'd been fighting so long she didn't know how to live any other way. She saw treachery and violence and deception as a way of life. Maybe she'd always been like that, deep down, and the Age of Magic had simply allowed her true inner nature a chance to rise to the surface.

Either way, Galadria recognized they shared something in common now.

Whether that would prove to be a good thing or a bad one, only time would truly tell.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:  
** Please review and favorite.

Never intended for this to be a grand, epic sort of story, just a fun slice-of-life/fantasy/adventure for the female Visionaries. Downplaying their rewards and task to simple money and a homebrewed chicken soup was always my intention.


End file.
